19 And it came to pass that king Mosiah granted unto Alma that he might establish churches throughout all the land of Zarahemla; and gave him power to ordain priests and teachers over every church.
20 Now this was done because there were so many people that they could not all be governed by one teacher; neither could they all hear the word of God in one assembly;
21 Therefore they did assemble themselves together in different bodies, being called churches; every church having their priests and their teachers, and every priest preaching the word according as it was delivered to him by the mouth of Alma.
22 And thus, notwithstanding there being many churches they were all one church, yea, even the church of God; for there was nothing preached in all the churches except it were repentance and faith in God.
We are prone to speak of large numbers such as the total membership of the Church. But we must never forget that we are all individuals with our own needs and problems, our own hopes and dreams, our own faith and convictions…. We need one another, to build and strengthen each other. We must never lose sight of the fact that we are to “succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees” (D&C 81:5) (“The Work Moves Forward,” General Conference, April 1999).
As I participate in Church meetings tomorrow, I will be grateful for the messages and the opportunities to serve which I personally receive through my participation in the Church. I am grateful to belong to a global organization, which touches the lives of individuals through local congregations.
Book of Mormon Study Notes 